Day 26 - Weight 120.8 - Period Day 1/No HCG

Finally. I started my period today. I won't have any HCG injections until my period is over. Typically, for me, that will be 3 or 4 days. Dr. Simeon's protocol states that there won't be any extreme hunger even though the HCG injections have been halted. I'm curious to see if that holds true, of course, but for today it was pretty spot on. I didn't notice any difference in hunger.

I did notice a difference in my period, though. Day one for me is usually the day I experience the most cramping. Today's cramping was almost unbearable, though. Much worse than usual. And I found myself doubled over with a hot water bottle a good part of the day. By late afternoon and into the night I also had terrible diarrhea. TMI! I know. But, it is what happened to me and I can only attribute it, anecdotally, to the HCG Diet because it isn't normal for me to experience this much pain and illness with my period. Be careful what you wish for. I wished that my period would start and now I'm wishing it hadn't. Urgh!

LIQUIDS

• 2 C Coffee
• 1 1/2 liters water
• 2 C Chamomile tea
• 1 C Lemon/Peppermint tea

SNACK

• Grapefruit

LUNCH

• Chicken Soup w/ Cabbage (Sambal ulek, Splash of Bragg's Aminos, Salt, Herbs de Provence)

SNACK

• Grapefruit (I know that was twice today. I was really craving it).

DINNER

• 3 Eggs, soft boiled (CHEAT)
• Spinach salad

I have been craving eggs for several days so I thought what better time to cheat than on my period. I deserve it, right? And they are kind of a sanctioned cheat. Unfortunately, they were just a tad bit overcooked. Coupled with how sick I was feeling, I didn't enjoy them nearly as much as I had hoped. Bummer. :-(

Day 23 - Weight 120.6

My weight is back UP to 120! WTH? I am following the protocol exactly since I got back from St. George. I'm hoping that the gain is in direct relationship to where I'm at in my "female" cycle. But, geez! Seriously?!?!?!?

I spent a while poking around on the internet trying to find some hard evidence on menstrual cycle weight gain and, particularly, HCG-related results. I found quite a bit of "soft" evidence on cycle weight gain in general, personal anecdotes, etc. Apparently 5-9 pounds of gain in the week before menstrual onset is completely normal. Good to know, hmm? I guess since I never really weighed myself in my pre-HCG diet days I never realized that I was gaining and then losing a few pounds every month unless my clothes felt tight that week.

I found basically nothing related to HCG and the menstrual cycle with respect to weight or inch gain. I do know that when I actually start my period I have to stop taking the injections until my period is over. Even though the injections are halted you definitely have to stay on the diet protocol. If you are taking the oral sublingual HCG drops, you don't have to stop taking them during your period. I haven't been able to find out exactly why that is but those are the rules. I wish I would just hurry up and start already.

LIQUIDS

• 1 cup coffee
• 1 cup chai tea
• 1 1/2 liters water (Oops! Missed the target on that one.)

SNACK

• Grapefruit (10:30 a.m.)
• Melba Toast (11:15 a.m.)

LUNCH

• Pre-cooked steak strips
• Baby heirloom tomatoes

SNACK (5:15 p.m.)

• Strawberries

DINNER (6:30 p.m.)

• Hamburger (w/Red Pepper Flakes, Garlic Powder, Sumac, Salt)
• Asparagus, steamed
• Melba Toast

(I've been eating asparagus a bit often because I had to finish the batch before they went bad.)

I had a lot of energy today. I went to the Farmer's Market in Laguna Hills and picked up my fresh produce before heading home to clean, clean, clean ALL DAY LONG. We're having some re-modeling work done in our home and we just had some tile flooring demolished in preparation for a new floor and kitchen remodel. Even though we tried to wrap & protect things, we have tile dust EVERYWHERE. Today was spent "wet-dusting" every surface in the living areas of the house, including door jams, sills, shelves, floors, etc. I was at it all day and it still isn't done, of course. Still, it was a productive day and we're that much closer to a completed re-do. :-)

Oh! I almost forgot about the electrotherapy results. Sadly, there was no change in my abdomen measurements. But what I was most disappointed about was that I didn't feel anything in my abdomen at all. If it was supposed to mimic a real workout then I definitely should have felt some after-effect results on the following day. I feel NOTHING AT ALL. I don't think I'm going to pursue that one. I guess there really is no way to avoid the gym.... urgh!

Day 22 - Weight 118 - B12 + Measurement Day

Weight: 118 lbs. (-4.4 lbs.)
Bust: 34 1/2" (+1/2")*
Waist: 26" (0")
Abdomen (read: GUT): 34 3/8" (-5/8")
Saddlebags: 40 3/8" (-3/8")
Left Thigh: 21 5/8" (-3/8")
Right Thigh: 21 3/4" (-1/4")
Left Knee: 14 3/8" (-1/8")
Right Knee: 14" (-1/8")

TOTAL LOSSES for this week: 4.4 lbs., 1 3/8"
(*This measurement could read 1 7/8" loss if you didn't factor in the 1/2" gain in my breast measurement. That measurement is, I am completely sure, directly a result of where I am in my menstrual cycle. Swelling breasts is something that happens to me monthly at this point in my cycle, so it is completely normal for me. However, I didn't alter the actual measurements at all. Today this is what my breast measurement was and so that's what I wrote down).

TOTAL LOSSES TO DATE: 11 lbs., 13 3/4"

I'm not very happy with my inch loss this week. Less than 2" is not what I had in mind for this drastic of a diet. However, I did go off-protocol a bit and I did have two travel days in close proximity during the week. I did lose almost 5 pounds but I really don't care about the weight number. It's a bit frustrating to feel like I've plateaued but I'm hanging on for the whole shibang! It's normal not to have a consistent loss although I just realized that with an 11 pound loss in 22 days - that's a pretty consistent 1/2 pound-per-day-loss. Not bad. Also, I'll be starting my period within a few days and that's bound to be wreaking havoc with the weight and the inches.

SNACK

• Apple

LUNCH

• Steak Salad w/ Spicy Vinaigrette (recipe & pic below)

SNACK

• Grapefruit

DINNER

• Hamburger
• Asparagus, steamed

I really haven't been hungry at all so I decided to cut the WASA or Melba Toast from my diet unless I actually feel the need to add it in. The protocol from AmaraMedSpa does not include this option at all. If I miss it, I'll eat it. After all I've been successful while eating it regularly. But if I don't miss it, I won't eat it.

Today was the grand re-opening of Pura Vida Day Spa ( http://www.puravidadayspa.com/ ). I have a massage and facial membership there that my husband purchased for me for my birthday last year. One of thebest gifts I've ever received! I do both my monthly facial and massage with Jann Barbour. She's F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S! The first time she gave me a facial I knew I'd never go to anyone else. I thought I was back in the eighties - before the day spa trend really killed the decdent pleasures of spa treatments!

This little hidden treasure of Orange County changed ownership a few months ago and the new owners have been getting on their feet. So today they had a full day of free treatments and fabulous food & drink, open to their members and potential clients. I went in fairly early to say hi and it looked like it ws going very well. They offered me a free body sculpting session on the

electrotherapy machine and I said, "Absolutely." I've been wanting to give the machine a try. Oprah has talked about it on her show and it's gotten quite a buzz. But it's a bit pricey to just dive in and buy a package of sessions. This was a great opportunity.

I asked the therapist to focus on my tummy area and she placed about 6 electrode pads on the different muscle areas of my torso. She warned me that it wouldn't hurt but it would feel uncomfortable. I've had similar treatments for back pain so I knew, generally, what to expect. It felt so weird! She said I had a very high tolerance and cranked it up as high as I could take it, which was totally up to me to decide. It is so strange to have your body "insides" moving and responding to an electrical impulse that is not being sent by your own brain!

The therapist said that one full session is one hour and that that one hour session is equal to 6 hours of working out. While I was laying on the table under treatment I suddenly remembered Dr. Simeon's distaste for therapeutic, or "hard," massage during the diet. He said that the body is working with the HCG in a very delicate balance on the fat cells and that even massage could disturb the that balance and be detrimental instead of beneficial. I was already strapped in so I decided to finish it out.

My session was about 20 -30 minutes. It was uncomfortable, to be sure, but it really felt like it was working and it definitely wasn't painful. I have a fairly high pain tolerance anyway. I drank my three glasses of water while I was there chatting with the girls. I can't wait to see if I feel anything tomorrow. I mean a three-hour ab workout would definitely be felt by my abs! Also, I'm going to measure my abdomen again tomorrow morning to see if anything changed.

SPICY VINAIGRETTE DRESSING
1 TBSP Bragg's Aminos
1 TBSP Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar
Salt
Red pepper flakes

Yum! Yum! Yum!